Feb. 5 – Yokohama – Nissan is bringing its performance heritage to the road in Europe for the first time, with media there getting a closer view of the Juke Nismo.

This is the first chapter in a production story that will later unveil a range of models with motorsport DNA and engineering honed on the track, and the next in line is the 370Z, on sale later in 2013.

For Juke customers, the Nismo model will tick every box, such as radical design, with a unique blend of sports coupé lines and SUV styling.

Nissan and Nismo engineers have developed a new aerodynamic body kit, giving Juke an even more efficient, dynamic and powerful design, with lower front and rear bumpers as well as side skirts, plus a modified grill and tailgate spoiler to better control airflow.

The Juke Nismo has a tuned version of Nissan’s 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged engine, while power has been boosted from 140kw (190PS) to 147kw (200PS) and torque is up from 240Nm to 250Nm.

For drivers who want more from their Nismo, a higher-powered version will also be offered. Still under development in Juke form, the flagship variant will provide even sharper handling and more power for the
ultimate Nismo experience.

Tte Juke Nismo made its official debut in production guise in front of thousands of race fans in June 2012 at the Le Mans 24-Hour Race.

Juke Nismo will be assembled at the line at Sunderland, UK, alongside the standard model.